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The Australian government has granted Dr. Talitha Best a 12-month Researchers in Business (RiB) grant to help develop research on Mannatech’s glyconutritional products. The RiB program is part of Enterprise Connect, an initiative within the Australian government’s Department of Innovation, Industry, Science and Research. The program is designed to accelerate industry innovation and competitiveness by connecting university and public agency researchers with businesses that wish to develop new ideas with commercial potential. RiB initiatives are destined to play an important role in enhancing the transfer of university intellectual capital into practical business applications and to stimulate the dissemination of industry knowledge back into the research community. Exciting innovation is expected to flow from breaking down the cultural divide between academia and business.

For more than six years, Dr. Best, a post-doctoral research fellow at the Nutritional Physiology Research Centre, the University of South Australia (UniSA), and the Brain Sciences Institute, Swinburne University of Technology, has been investigating the impact of dietary saccharides on human brain function. Based at UniSA, she has presented her findings at numerous scientific conferences and has shown, in two randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled human clinical trials, that intake of Mannatech’s saccharide supplement, Ambrotose® complex, can provide both immediate and long-term improvements in memory, cognition and well-being (1)†,(2)‡*.

† Mannatech provided the Ambrotose supplement and placebo used in this study.
‡ Mannatech provided partial funding and provided the Ambrotose supplement and placebo used in this study.

Mannatech and Texas Woman’s University (TWU) announced today the development of a unique online university-level course in nutrition and personal health coaching. Taught by TWU faculty, this 45-hour self-paced continuing education course will be available to both health professionals and the general public. The curriculum, which includes comprehensive nutrition, integrative health, and dietary supplementation information, is unique in that it provides guidance in how to effectively coach those interested in pursuing healthy behavioral changes.

“Even after decades of government-funded awareness campaigns, Americans continue to make poor choices about nutrition,” said Dr. Robert Sinnott, Co-CEO and Chief Science Officer of Mannatech. “Collectively, we don’t consume nearly enough fresh vegetables, fruit and dietary fiber and the vast majority of foods that people consume are extensively processed. This has contributed to a myriad of expensive health-related issues. There is clearly a need for properly trained “wellness coaches” who can personally educate consumers about nutrition and healthy choices. We believe that this new training program offered by TWU, an accredited university with a world-recognized nutrition department, will create new opportunities for people interested in pursuing a career in the growing health and nutrition field.”

To guide the public towards dietary supplement messaging that is compliant with regulations established by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration, the innovative TWU curriculum also includes a guest lecture from Dr. Sinnott about the Dietary Supplement Health and Education Act (DSHEA). Individuals who successfully complete the program will receive a Certification of Completion of Training by TWU’s Department of Nutrition and Food Sciences.
More information about this course can be found on the TWU website.

The U.S., Japan, New Zealand and Taiwan Patent Offices have recently granted Mannatech patents for technologies related to its Ambrotose® and Ambrotose AO® formulations. These patents are a direct result of dedication and diligence exhibited by Mannatech’s scientists and serve to further establish Mannatech as an industry leader in nutrition and wellness technologies.

Mannatech currently holds more than 70 patents in 30 countries for its health-related technologies. With the issuance of these new patents, Mannatech now holds more than 15 patents for technology related to its Ambrotose AO formulation in the following countries: Australia, Mexico, New Zealand, Singapore, South Africa, South Korea, Swaziland, Taiwan and the United States. More than 50 patents have been issued worldwide to Mannatech for the technology related to its Ambrotose complex formulation.

Dr. Talitha Best, post-doctoral research fellow at the Nutritional Physiology Research Centre, University of South Australia, and the Brain Sciences Institute, Swinburne University of Technology, recently convened and chaired a symposium entitled “Eating behaviour from a cognitive experimental perspective” at the Society for Applied Research in Memory and Cognition’s (SARMAC) ninth international conference, which met June 27-30, 2011 in New York City. Scientists participating in Dr. Best’s symposium presented experimental findings from numerous studies that demonstrated the bi-directional relationship between eating behaviour and cognition. These studies explored the diverse and complex cognitive processes that are involved in, and affected by, eating behaviour and dietary interventions. Specific dietary interventions under investigation included glucose, tea and plant-polysaccharides (Ambrotose® complex). Dr. Best presented the results of a study that she recently conducted with Australian colleagues on Ambrotose complex. This human, double-blind, placebo-controlled study, which evaluated the effects of Ambrotose complex powder on mood, memory and cognitive tasks, showed for the first time that improvements in cognitive task performance were independent of blood glucose responses.*

The purpose of the SARMAC Conference is to advance memory and cognition science by bringing together international experts actively engaged in research. Participants were treated to keynote addresses from leaders in memory and cognition research who explored a variety of important issues, including the need for researchers to systematically document unpublished scientific findings.

Best, T., Howe, P., Bryan, J., Scholey, A., & Buckley, J. (2011). Effects of a plant polysaccharide supplement on memory and cognition. Presented at the Society for Applied Research in Memory and Cognition’s 9th International Conference in New York, New York, June 27-30, 2011.

Once again, Mannatech’s excellence in educating the public about nutrition and health has been confirmed by a panel of experts. Mannatech’s blog HealthyScience.net was bestowed a Winter/Spring 2011 Web Health Silver Award by the Health Information Resource Center, a national clearinghouse for professionals who work in consumer health fields. The Web health awards program honors the best digital health resources available to the public. Mannatech’s Healthy Science blogs, written by Mannatech scientists and healthcare experts, are intended to guide consumers to the best health and nutrition choices. Mannatech’s science educational website, MannatechScience.org was the recipient of a Web Health Merit Award in 2009. Continue to follow HealthyScience.net and MannatechScience.org for more award-winning health and nutrition information.

When the Natural Products Insider—a trade publication for marketers, manufacturers and formulators of dietary supplements, healthy foods and cosmeceuticals—was looking for industry leaders to share their thoughts about aloe vera, Mannatech’s Co-CEO and Chief Science Officer, Dr. Rob Sinnott, was invited to participate in the discussion. The resulting article, “Aloe veritas,” is a comprehensive look at aloe vera, with an emphasis on its economic impact, topical and oral effects, and regulatory issues.

The polysaccharide acemannan was frequently mentioned as the gel constituent critically important for product effects. Bill McAnalley, the inventor of Mannatech’s Ambrotose® complex, first patented the extraction and applications of acemannan from aloe gel and named this compound. Today, the International Aloe Science Council (IASC) has a program that verifies whether or not products contain aloe vera gel based on a test for acemannan.

Dr. Sinnott expressed his concerns about numerous poor-quality aloe products in the marketplace: “Such products have typically been found to contain little (or no) aloe vera gel; they do not have the expected sugar profiles or are contaminated with aloe latex. Aloe latex, the bitter yellow sap from the outer skin of the leaf, contains hydroxyanthracene derivatives, including aloins, and is an OTC laxative drug. Numerous organizations that express concerns about the safety of aloe vera gel intake often err by including effects of whole-leaf products known to contain aloin.” A high-quality aloe gel product should contain less than 10 ppm aloin.

To validate product quality, Mannatech has submitted its aloe vera gel powders to an independent laboratory for detailed analyses and also conducts ingredient analyses in-house. Mannatech’s product suppliers are approved through a vendor-qualification process that includes supplier questionnaires, on-site audits, certificate of analysis verification of initial lots, and evaluation of subsequent lots upon receipt. An independent laboratory recently tested all Mannatech’s products that contain aloe gel powders to ensure they are aloin-free. This laboratory, which is able to detect aloin at levels as low as 0.6 ppm, was not able to detect it in any Mannatech product.

Recognizing the key role that its aloe vera gel powders play in product efficacy, Mannatech has been consistently expanding the aloe vera gel scientific literature. During the past decade, Mannatech scientists have published articles in peer-reviewed journals and presented posters about aloe vera gel at scientific meetings, particularly the Scripps Center for Integrative Medicine’s Annual Natural Supplements Conference. These studies have described:

Digestion of aloe gel by human fecal bacteria. Preliminary data from this research received first prize at the Scripps 4th Annual Conference’s
pre-clinical research poster competition in 2007.

Australian scientists recently presented the results of a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial which showed that, shortly after taking a single 4 gram serving of Ambrotose complex powder, healthy adults experienced improved memory and performed better on demanding cognitive tasks. The product had no effect on blood glucose levels.* † The trial was led by Dr. Talitha Best, post-doctoral research fellow at the Nutritional Physiology Research Centre (NPRC), University of South Australia, and the Brain Sciences Institute (BSI) Swinburne University of Technology. Study co-authors included Professor Peter Howe and Associate Professor Jon Buckley (NPRC); Dr. Janet Bryan, School of Psychology, University of South Australia; and Professor Andrew Scholey (BSI).

The Australasian Society for Experimental Psychology was created to conduct an annual meeting for the presentation of research in experimental psychology. Dr. Best’s study was presented as part of a symposium Dr. Best convened and co-chaired with Professor Scholey, titled “Brains and food—detecting nutritional effects on cognition.”

Mannatech and the Department of Nutrition and Food Sciences at Texas Woman’s University (TWU*) are developing and implementing collaborative endeavors that will enhance the public’s knowledge about health and nutrition. On April 15, 2011, Professor Francesco Marotta**, MD, PhD, gave a Mannatech-sponsored lecture to TWU Nutrition and Food Sciences students titled “Clinical Options and Applications for Genetic Testing in Modern Nutritional Strategies.” Professor Marotta, an internationally recognized expert in probiotics and human health, is a physician in the Hepato-Gastroenterology Unit, S Giuseppe Hospital via S Vittore, Milano, Italy. His lecture covered recent developments in the rapidly growing field of science that is investigating the relationships between nutrients and the human genome. Such developments are beginning to optimize health by guiding consumers to customized nutrient intake based on their genomes. The day before speaking at TWU, Dr. Marotta also visited Mannatech’s corporate facility in Coppell, Texas, and gave a talk titled “Improvement of Microflora Balance and Gut Functionality by Probiotics.” In light of Mannatech’s recent launch of GI-ProBalance™ slimsticks, Dr. Marotta’s talk, which emphasized factors that can negatively impact gut flora—including aging, poor diet, prescription drugs, stress and illness—was of great interest to Mannatech’s Global Scientific Services and Marketing teams.

Dr. Marotta with Mannatech’s R&D Team

Dr. Robert Sinnott, Mannatech’s Co-CEO and Chief Science Officer, also recently delivered a talk to TWU students about the Dietary Supplement Health and Education Act of 1994 (DSHEA). His lecture was recorded and will be available to students whose coursework requires them to know about this legislation. Finally, Mannatech and TWU are exploring the development of a certified course, specifically designed for Mannatech Associates, in nutrition and personal health coaching.

* About TWU
More than 14,000 students are enrolled at TWU, either online or at campuses located in Dallas, Houston and Denton, Texas. Led by department chair Professor Chandran Prasad, PhD, TWU’s Department of Nutrition and Food Sciences (Denton) offers programs in nutrition, culinary science, food science and food systems administration. BS, BAS, MS and PhD degrees are offered.

** About Professor Marotta
Professor Marotta is one of the world’s leading experts on probiotics and human health. After his graduation from Catania University with MD (cum laude) in 1981, he joined the University of Chicago as a Visiting Fellow in gastroenterology. Two years later, he was selected by the South African Education Ministry to serve as a registrar at the University of Cape Town, Groote Schuur Hospital. Dr. Marotta is the first Italian to obtain a PhD from the University of Hirosaki, Japan; the entire curriculum was taught in Japanese. He later received a Fellowship from the Japanese Science & Technology Ministry to continue his studies at the National Cancer Center in Tokyo. Upon returning to Italy, he was appointed as chief consultant in Gastroenterology at S. Anna Hospital, Como, Italy, and then as a Consultant at Hepato-GI Unit, S. Giuseppe Hospital, Milano, Italy. Dr. Marotta is also a Consulting Professor at the World Health Organization (WHO)-affiliated Center for Biotechnology and Traditional Medicine, Department of Anatomy, University of Milano; a Consulting Professor of BioGerontology, in the Urology Department, University of Pavia; and a Visiting Professor at many Japanese Institutions. Dr. Marotta also acts as international consultant to several Asian and Middle Eastern gastroenterological societies, and has chaired several international gastroenterology, bioscience and aging meetings. He has received more than 20 national and international awards for his research papers and university lectures. He is the leading author of several papers, more than 350 scientific communications and lectures, and many book sections dealing with experimental and clinical gastroenterology, oxidative stress and aging.

Mannatech scientist Dr. Gabriela Luta (Scientific Liaison) attended the 124th AOAC (Association of Analytical Chemists)** International Annual Meeting and Exposition, September 27-30, 2010 in Orlando, Florida. At this meeting, leading international experts shared state-of-the-science information with attendees. Of particular interest to scientists associated with the dietary supplement industry were sessions exploring methods that can be used to authenticate botanicals and reference materials and detect allergens, contaminants, and toxins. Also addressed were issues associated with the validation of analytic methods, quality assurance and accreditation, and governmental regulation of dietary supplements.

*CRN is the leading U.S. trade association representing dietary supplement manufacturers and ingredient suppliers. Dr. Rob Sinnott, co-CEO and Chief Science Officer of Mannatech is the Chair of the CRN’s Senior Scientific Advisory Council.

**AOAC is a non-profit scientific association dedicated to the development and validation of analytical methods, improvement of quality assurance procedures and the professional development of scientists.

Stephens & Associates, a privately owned, worldwide research organization and a leading investigational site of clinical trials for cosmetic testing and dermatological and women’s health studies, performed a 12-week clinical usage study and a number of clinical safety studies on the new Mannatech LIFT skin care system. Clinical testing revealed dramatic improvements in skin tone, firmness, radiance, smoothness and the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles after 8 and 12 weeks and demonstrated that all products were well-tolerated, non-comedogenic and they did not cause allergic contact dermatitis. Stephens investigators involved in the studies were Ronald L. Rizer, Ph.D., Senior Vice-President of Operations; and Monya L. Sigler, Ph.D., Vice-President of Operations; along with board-certified dermatologist Nathan S. Trookman, M.D. and board-certified ophthalmologist Lynn Ehrhardt, M.D. All studies were funded by Mannatech, Incorporated.

To read the Mannatech LIFT clinical efficacy and safety study reports, go to the Mannatech LIFT skin care system product page on this site.